Harry Potter One Shots

Theodore Nott

     Often when a particular person walked into a room, people would start whispering and the volume of the chatter would rise. On rare occasions, conversations would stop and a room with drown in silence when someone walked in. I wasn't sure which was worse.

     For five years, people whispered behind my back, conversations stopping halfway when I approached, because I was known as the daughter of a mass murderer. Now that my father had passed away and his name cleared, everything was even worse. The whispers grew louder and the silence cut deeper.

     Naturally, over the years I'd learned to hide my feelings and keep my expression neutral. One wrong word - one wrong look - and I would hear about it for weeks. But I wasn't going to walk around the castle with my head hanging low. I was my father's daughter after all. Not that it mattered in the end, when he left everything to Harry Potter.

     I never knew my mother, my father was locked up in azkaban before I could learn to speak his name and then I was raised by the only person who would take me in; Remus Lupin. Despite his efforts, I never truly felt like I belonged anywhere. Until I came to Hogwarts and I was sorted into Slytherin.

"Sorry, I'm late, professor." I entered Slughorn's office, noticing everyone was already seated.

"Not to worry, my dear, not to worry! Settle down, we've only barely begun!" Slughorn beamed and Blaise pulled out the chair next to him. I let my defensive façade falter for just a second to send him a thankful smile.

"I don't want to pry, but what has kept you my dear?" Slughorn asked casually, but his intentions were clear. He most certainly wanted to pry.

"I tutor younger students. The one I was meeting today, well, let's just say they didn't have an accurate understanding for potions."

"I never knew you could tutor other kids, how exactly does that work, miss Black?"

"Oh, you can sign up to be a tutor for certain classes and you will get kids assigned to you at certain times."

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but what's in it for you, my dear?" I nearly grimaced at professor Slughorn's frequent use of my dear, but contained myself.

"Tutors get more job opportunities after we leave Hogwarts, sir, we also get paid."

"Wonderful!" Slughorn beamed and then moved on to someone else.

"You had no tutoring sessions today, where were you really?" Blaise whispered to me and I could feel his eyes searching my face. It was no use, I mastered glamouring charms during my second year.

"I don't see how that's any of your business." I turned my head to meet his eyes and he sent me a pointed look.

"Just because Draco avoided you after what happened at the ministry doesn't mean I agree with him." Blaise pressed and I sighed.

"I don't care about what Malfoy thinks, Blaise, and I don't care what your opinion on the matter is. Now, drop it." I told him with a certain finality in my voice and after sending me one last concerned look, Blaise turned back to the conversation.

When the dinner party ended, I walked straight past Potter, who had been watching me all night and seemed adamant on talking to me.

"If you would just listen for a second." He raced after me. "Black!"

"You're wasting your time, Potter. Nothing you can say will make me change my mind." I turned around feeling furious. The nerve of him. I sometimes wondered how I could present a calm, unfazed exterior when my insides felt like they were boiling with emotion, but I didn't mind. If they knew how you truly felt, they could use that against you. When it didn't seem like Potter was going to try and say anything else, I turned away from him and started my way towards the dungeons once again.